Flight MH370’s disappearance may remain a mystery; search called off

The disappearance of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 may remain to be one of aviation’s biggest mysteries, as deep-sea search efforts have been officially suspended. The plane had disappeared en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing on March 8, 2014.

The decision to suspend the search efforts was taken after search crews failed to find any clues even after meticulously sweeping the 120,000-square kilometer (46,000-square mile) search zone in the India Ocean. The decision was taken by the Joint Agency Coordination Center in Australia, which was leading the $160 million hunt for the Boeing 777 in remote waters west of Australia.

“Despite every effort using the best science available, cutting-edge technology, as well as modeling and advice from highly skilled professionals who are the best in their field, unfortunately, the search has not been able to locate the aircraft,” the agency said in a statement, which was a joint communiqué released by the transport ministers of Malaysia, Australia and China.

The possibility of the search being restarted depends on availability of advanced technology that can pinpoint the exact location of the missing plane. Till that time, the search is officially over. In the future, it is also possible that funds can be made available by private donors or the Malaysian government can infuse fresh funds to restart the search operations. For the families of 239 people who lost their lives in the doomed plane, such possibilities may help keep the hope alive to find the answers to the mysterious disappearance of Flight MH370.